Next,  the  ship’s  store  officer  will  distribute  the count  sheets  to  the  responsible  custodians  for advance  recording.  The  ship’s  store  officer  will maintain  a  number  control,  in  duplicate,  of  the inventory count sheets issued with the team and the  spaces  assigned  to  each  sheet.  When  the members of the inventory team return the count sheets, the ship’s store officer will log each sheet in on the number control. The ship’s store officer must never leave count sheets unattended. If the sheets  must  be  held  overnight,  the  ship’s  store officer or a designated assistant must lock them up  in  a  secure  place. Advance Recording Certain  information  required  on  the  ship’s store  inventory  count  sheet  must  be  inserted  in advance  of  the  actual  count.  This  information must  be  prelisted  by  the  responsible  custodian  for the actual stock in the spaces to be inventoried. The  custodian  should  use  a  series  of  inventory count  sheets  for  each  space  that  will  be inventoried.   The   custodian   must   record   the following   information   in   advance  on  all  four copies  of  the  inventory  count  sheet: l   The   description   of   the   merchandise   by line  items  (size,  color,  brand,  etc.) .  The  unit  of  issue .  The  fixture  number  (assigned  locally) . The location of the stock being inventoried Scheduling The final preliminary step is that of schedul- ing. The time for the inventory should be planned so  the  store  will  be  closed  for  the  shortest  possible period of time. Under normal conditions, 2 work- ing  days  should  be  adequate.  The  store  should  not be closed on payday. The time for the inventory should  be  determined  after  consultation  has  taken place among the leading petty officer of the ship’s store division, the ship’s store officer, the supply officer,  and  the  executive  officer.  The  word should  also  be  passed  well  in  advance  to  crew members to enable them to care for their needs before  the  store  is  closed.  Normally,  inventory should  be  taken  at  the  end  of  each  regular  ac- counting period. This may be any time during the last  week  of  business.  The  other  circumstances when inventories are required are detailed in the NAVSUP  P-487. The  preparation  time  before  the  inventory should  also  allow  for  a  thorough  indoctrination of  the  personnel  assigned  to  conduct  the  inven- tory.  Besides  the  required  written  instructions,  the ship’s  store  officer  and  the  leading  petty  officer should take the designated assistant or inventory teams  into  the  spaces  they  will  count.  Detailed instructions  should  be  provided  for  each  space. Finally,  the  inventory  should  be  scheduled  at  a time  when  the  participants  are  expected  to  be mentally alert. SUPERVISION OF PROCEDURES At  the  time  of  the  inventory,  you  may  very well be assigned to an inventory team. Or you may be  the  senior  Ship’s  Serviceman  who  is  respon- sible for conducting a training session on inven- tory  procedures  before  the  actual  count  takes place.  In  any  case,  you  should  be  thoroughly familiar   with   the   procedures   that   must   be followed. Actual Count Under  normal  conditions,  you  will  probably use  a  two-count  system.  In  this  method,  one person  should  count  and  another  person  should record  the  inventoried  quantities.  Make  certain that inventories are recorded in ink or indelible pencil on the inventory count sheets. Also, make certain  that  all  corrections  and  changes  to  the original  inventory  are  made  in  ink  or  indelible pencil.   Any   corrections   or   changes   should   be initialed  opposite  each  change  or  correction  by  the persons who conducted the inventory and by the responsible  custodian.  For  separate  responsibility, bulk   storerooms   should   be   inventoried   and balanced  with  the  Stock  Record  (NAVSUP 464)   cards   before   the   resale   outlets   are inventoried. First Count The first count must be recorded on the white and  yellow  copies  only  of  the  Inventory  Count Sheets  (NAVSUP  238s).  Inventory  patterns  for the first count should be planned and should stay consistent. For example, the inventory of a space should start on the left and work to the right of each section of the space. When the inventory of a space has been completed, the inventory sheets must be signed by the responsible custodian and by the persons taking the inventory. The sheets must then be returned to the ship’s store officer. 7-4